Chapter 10 - First, determine your allies
(MPOV)
I woke up slowly at first, until I realized I wasn't suspended in a hammock. The click of a door opening quietly and I had my knife in hand, sitting bolt upright before I even had my eyes open.
"Whoa, good survival skills if you're in the jungle, Jane," Epps grinned at me. "C'mon, let's get some grub Mikaela. You look like you could use some coffee."
"Coffee?" I asked drowsily, sheathing my knife and rubbing at my eyes. "Where the hell am I?"
"You are at base," Optimus' voice rumbled quietly throughout the cab.
"Oh shit!" I exclaimed, jumping to my feet and collapsing with a vitriolic string of expletives. "Ow, I was sleeping in your cab all night? What about the hole... in your... shoulder plate?" I stared up at the perfectly mended roof. "No way I slept through that. Did Ratchet drug me again?"
"Yes you slept in my cab for most of the night, the hole mended itself as most are wont to do in both of our species, and no, Ratchet gave you a mild painkiller, nothing more." Optimus listed off with a low chuckle. "Sargent Epps, I believe you may need to assist Mikaela if her leg is not yet up to supporting her this morning."
"On it big guy," Epps grinned, offering me a shoulder to support myself out of Optimus' truck form. "C'mon, let's get you some coffee then over to Ratchet, he's been grumbling about something or other, whoa, probably your leg judging by the bandages."
"Oh damn it!" I growled, looking at the yellowed stain over the gash.
"You look more alert this morning," Lennox called over to me as Epps helped me walk toward the work area Ratchet had evidently commandeered.
"Looks can be deceiving," I called back with a grin while Epps laughed. "Need coffee."
"You are no longer in shock," Ratchet stated calmly, "your alertness is much improved, but caffeine would be detrimental at this point."
"I have gone temporarily deaf and didn't hear you say I can't have coffee," I stated blandly, earning a glare from Ratchet.
"Your ear-canals are in working order and there is no blockage in your neural transmitters, no coffee," Ratchet retorted.
"Damn," I muttered as Epps helped me sit down.
"I'll be back with the coffee," he murmured, I shot him a grateful look. Ratchet's holoform flickered into being beside me.
"Wow, nice avatar Ratch," I grinned at him then frowned. "Wait, I said that last night, didn't I?" my eyes widened, "It was you who told me to rest!"
"Cognitive skills are back online," Ratchet nodded at me as he untied the bandages on my thigh. I looked down at the blackened gash and sighed.
"They poisoned it, didn't they?" I asked in a resigned tone.
"It would appear so," Ratchet agreed, "an anti-coagulant, which is why you bled out so quickly. None of it remains in your system however."
"So if I trim out the damaged bits it'll clot together properly?" I asked calmly.
"Mmn, I'll do it," Ratchet nodded, grabbing a box from one of the shelves. He fished out a syringe and made to help me toward a makeshift cot.
"Aw Ratch, don't put me under, can't you just use locals?" I looked at him pleadingly.
"I've taken your sensitivity to sedatives into account this time," Ratchet stated apologetically.
"It's not that," I patted his holoform's shoulder, "I just don't like being asleep during the day, messes up my internal clock."
"Now that I can agree with," Ratchet snorted and picked up a different bottle, pulling the serum into a larger syringe and offering me a sterile wrap, which I obediently surrounded the gash with.
"So how have you guys been?" I asked, leaning back in the high chair as Ratchet numbed my thigh.
"Passable, a few more Auto-bots have arrived..." Ratchet began, we idly chatted as we waited for the freezing to set in before he began to cut away the dead skin and a tiny amount of the muscle beneath.
"How did this happen anyway?" Ratchet finally asked as he picked up a smaller scalpel. "Optimus said a hook was stuck in his shoulder..."
"I pulled Grindor's grappling hook out of Optimus' shoulder, yeah," I said with a frown, "it came out easily enough, but it recoiled and grabbed onto my thigh, hence the gash."
"Hmph, figures," Ratchet grumbled, carefully trimming the dead from the living.
"Yeah well, stuff happens," I shrugged. "At least I've got the Doc-bot with the steadiest hands on the planet on my side." Ratchet snorted softly, but his shoulders pulled back slightly with pride. I couldn't help but smile.
Lennox, Epps, a man in a suit, and an older gentleman in fatigues walked toward us while Optimus transformed, moving to crouch close by.
(OPOV)
"Optimus," Mikaela smiled up at him as he knelt to her level, "I can't remember if I thanked you last night for coming to my rescue."
"You did," Optimus nodded calmly, the dear femme. He turned to look at the approaching humans. "Good afternoon General, Director, Major, Sargent."
Lennox grinned and looked at Kae as Epps endeavoured to hand her a cup of coffee.
"Ambrosia, you have never smelled so sweet," she murmured, sipping at the black liquid. It smelled rather odd, but she seemed to enjoy it.
"Mikaela, I'd like to introduce you to General Moreshower." Lennox said calmly, indicating the man in fatigues.
"General, it's nice to meet you in person," she smiled then froze. "Ratchet can I squirm for a second?" Optimus had to bite back a smile. That, was a good move.
Ratchet's holoform put the scalpel away and nodded, Mikaela turned and offered a targeting hand to the General, he mimicked the action, seeming to hold her hand firmly for a moment.
"And Director Galloway, NSA" Lennox added, Mikaela offered her hand to the man in the suit, who stared at her for a moment before taking her hand.
"How's the leg?" Epps asked, setting a tray of food on the bench beside the femme.
"The dead tissue has been excised," Ratchet stated calmly, picking out a set of silks and threading them, "Mikaela is young, and liable to heal well."
Mikaela grinned and popped a pink cube off of the tray into her mouth as Ratchet detailed her recovery. Galloway looked pale while Moreshower nodded approvingly.
"General," Mikaela said calmly, "thank you for not hanging up on me yesterday."
"We cleaned up the Decepticon that was after you," Moreshower informed her calmly, "I thought you should know that it did, in fact, find someone to kill with your shoes."
The femme sagged in her chair. The mark of a good spark, she felt grief at the death of a stranger.
"Who?" she whispered.
"A Mr. Thomas Hughs, he's in stable condition at St. Mary's hospital," Moreshower informed the femme with a small smile as Mikaela perked up again, looking at him with hope burning in her eyes. "You must have scrambled something in that thing, unless your feet are backwards."
"No, no they're the right way around," Mikaela sighed in relief.
"Why the hell aren't you in a hospital?" Galloway finally asked irritably.
"Ratchet's fixing me up," Mikaela shrugged, leaning back in her chair again to watch the holoform carefully set another stitch.
"You brought a medic here, instead of going to the medic?" Galloway demanded, looking at the holoform. Mikaela looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"You honestly expect to try and fit Ratchet into a surgical room?" she asked incredulously. "Mind, can your holoform move out of line of sight from your body?" Mikaela looked at Ratchet curiously.
"Possible, annoying, slow, a true pain in the processors, but possible," Ratchet stated, carefully coating the now perfectly stitched wound with a mild antiseptic before wrapping it. He patted her good leg and flickered out. "Now stay put, I'm watching you." he grumbled in true Ratchet form, his metal body moving once more.
"But..." Galloway stared at Mikaela, then at Ratchet and back again.
"Try not to think about it," Mikaela stated gently, "The sheer number of calculations that make controlling light vibrations to create a solid form possible would make Nicola Tessla faint-"
True.
"You had him take care of you rather than a human surgeon?" Galloway finally sputtered, Moreshower, Lennox and Epps looked at him in horror.
Optimus looked down at the man in irritation. But then-
"Why wouldn't I?" Mikaela asked calmly, taking another sip of coffee. "Ratchet is capable of doing a full diagnostic in seconds, and can monitor my vital signs while he works. The reality that his avatar is, in fact, a hologram makes it unnecessary to sterilize his hands before performing medical aid, bacteria doesn't stick to beams of light."
"You trust-" Galloway started indignantly.
"Unconditionally," Mikaela stated firmly. "I trust the Auto-bots with my life, health and freedom absolutely. They have never given me reason not to."
Behind Galloway, Optimus sat a bit straighter with pride. There was not a single trace of a lie in her vocal patterns. Lennox gave her the thumbs up, mouthing a 'careful' while Epps grinned.
"Well what did they do to earn that trust then?" Galloway sneered.
Mikaela took a deep breath and looked at Lennox.
"What's his clearance?" she asked calmly, jerking her thumb at Galloway while Epps went into a silent fit of laughter. General Moreshower courteously ignored him.
Optimus couldn't blame the man, it was all he could do to not laugh. There were so many levels of insult inherent to those three simple words.
"Liaison between the President and the Auto-bots," Lennox informed her calmly.
"He was read in?" Mikaela asked with a frown.
"I'm right here!" Galloway protested.
"He was," Moreshower nodded.
"Ah well," Mikaela shrugged and turned to Galloway, "Proper introduction maybe, I'm Mikaela Banes, the civilian female that Optimus here caught from falling thirty stories, and then fended off two Decepticons from getting the All-Spark that I was trying to get into military hands under Captain – Major now right?" Lennox nodded with a grin, "Congratulations Major, Major Lennox's command." she finished, holding her hand out again. Galloway shook it again.
"Is that why you agreed to being... Ratchet's... assistant then?" Galloway asked weakly.
Oh scrap, they hadn't asked her yet-
"It is, partially," Mikaela said calmly, that was a surprise, not a single look of surprise at the announcement crossed her face. "It would be an honour to work under Ratchet's tutelage." she continued with a small smile.
"They said you're an expert with mechanics!" Galloway shouted gleefully, evidently thinking he'd caught someone in a lie. Scrap.
"I am," Mikaela said patiently, "I was raised stripping and repairing engines, however I don't pretend to know everything, there are sub-systems in these guys that I could only dream about learning, the fact that Bumblebee has a titanium composite cross ram manifold with individual duel injection throttle bodies the likes of which I'd only seen once before distinctly suggests that I have more to learn. Which Ratchet would be capable of teaching, if he's willing. I mean, do you know everything there is about diplomacy?" Mikaela asked him blandly, popping another pink cube into her mouth. Galloway snapped out of his shell-shocked, glazed look to frown.
"Oh, well, most of it," he said weakly. "If you'll excuse me, I have an appointment I can't miss at the White House." he wandered toward the towering hangar doors, clearly forgetting any message he was supposed to convey. Another well-dressed man followed him out toward the sounds of a helicopter starting up. Mikaela watched him go with narrowed eyes.
"That, is a weaselly sort of man who's been promoted well above his skill set," she muttered to herself, "He's in too deep for his own comfort and desperately trying to prove his worth. Gotta be careful with that one. He is far too used to people sucking up to him."
"How can you tell that so quickly?" Optimus looked at her curiously while the humans standing around her looked impressed.
(MPOV)
"I shook his hand," I shrugged, taking another sip of coffee and turning to the General.
He was grinning.
"You realize he's going to understand that insult you threw at him in about two hours, right?" General Moreshower asked me, evidently fighting back a laugh as Lennox and Epps jumped, looking at him curiously.
I looked at him calculatingly for a second.
"Three if he doesn't have have internet capabilities to look up what a cross ram manifold is." I grinned.
"I knew someone who could stand to drink that awful coffee is a force to be reckoned with!" the General reached over and shook my hand firmly. "Congratulations, and welcome to Diego Garcia."
"Thank you General," I grinned, returning the solid handshake. I glanced up and caught the slight narrowing in Optimus' eyes.
"I'll explain it fully later," I smiled up at him.
"I will hold you to that," he rumbled.
"So has Galloway been informed what the Decepticons are actually after?" I asked patiently, looking around myself.
"For now we're assuming they're looking for you," Moreshower told me calmly.
"No, I'm nothing more than a map," I said firmly, "they're looking for the Matrix of Leadership." I looked up at Optimus grimly, lightly rubbing at my temple, trying to banish the mild ache creeping up my neck and behind my eyes. "The Fallen is still alive, if inactive."
"Which would mean something if we knew what the Fallen is." General Moreshower stated, leaning against the work table.
"She totally figured that one out last night." Epps grinned. I frowned at him.
"I did?" I asked curiously.
"Still don't really remember huh?" Lennox asked sympathetically, "the amount of blood you were trying to wipe off of Optimus' hand last night is probably the reason."
"Friggin anti-coagulants," I grumbled, rubbing more vigorously at the headache. I looked at Optimus' hand. He held it up to show perfectly clean plates.
"I hope you don't mind that I used it," he rumbled gently. "The iron oxides held a substantial charge of energon."
"More's the power to you," I grinned, still rubbing my temple absentmindedly. Optimus' spark resonated gentle amusement. Off on the other side of the hangar, I noticed the silver mech look away quickly, Bumblebee grinning at him.
"Relax the muscles in your back," Ratchet told me from across the work area, not looking up from whatever he was working on. "That headache is only going to get worse if you don't."
"Easier said than done Ratch," I called back, standing up in the hopes my leg would let me pace. No such luck, I leaned my weight on my good leg and the table.
"What can you remember?" Optimus asked quietly.
"Bits and pieces," I frowned, crossing my arms. "It's almost like the All-Spark finally got tired of trying to tell me everything in Cybertronian and has finally started translating bits and pieces into Mandarin."
"I don't suppose you speak Mandarin?" Epps laughed.
"Badly," I shrugged, "It's been a long time."
"When was the last time you spoke?" Moreshower asked mildly.
I looked up at the ceiling, doing a mental calculation. I closed my eyes and dug my nails into my palm, the motion concealed beneath my arm.
"Five years ago, six now I guess." I said calmly, "Anyway, I'm just the map, the Decepticon that came after me said there was another source of Energon here. That I was going to lead them to it."
"So who's grandfather Blackbird anyway?" Epps asked with a grin.
"Jetfire," I said immediately and frowned again, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Ugh, I need to pace, this is absurd." I cast about and spied a sturdy looking set of rags.
"That's a bad idea," Ratchet stated calmly as I took a single hop toward them.
"Bah! Bloody psychic friggin Auto-bot! Somebody get me some crutches, or a cane or something!" I threw my hands in the air in exasperation.
"Somebody take her for a drive before she goes stir crazy," Ratchet finally looked up from the engine block he was re-assembling.
"Hey when was the last time Bee had an oil change?" I asked suddenly, "I don't think I've ever seen a faster carbonization rate than that bot manages."
"A week ago," Ratchet rumbled, smirking at me, "if you had something to disassemble would you sit still?"
"Maybe," I narrowed my eyes at him. Ratchet stood and pulled down a twisted mass of metal from an isolated shelf.
"Deactivated Decepticon servo. Strip it down and bag each piece for parts. That is, of course, if you actually want to be my assistant and you weren't simply covering for us." Ratchet stated, depositing the twisted mass on the work table in front of me and plunking an enormous box of multi-sized bags beside me. Will rolled a tray of tools beside me while Optimus settled more comfortably in place. Epps and Moreshower dragged chairs close to, settling in for a good chat.
"That offer was genuine? Awesome!" I grabbed a screwdriver and gleefully attacked the first set of screws while Lennox settled down with the others.
"So how does this work anyway?" Epps asked me curiously.
"I dunno," I replied, glancing up at him, "It started out as the occasional dream, places I'd never seen before..." I trailed off, remembering some of the visions. "A certainty that they were gone now, but that they could be healed." I shook my head minutely and turned back to the servo.
"I do need your report, what happened that you were calling," General Moreshower stated calmly, sitting back with the coffee Epps handed him.
"Verbal or written?" I asked calmly, setting down another screw.
"Verbal for now," Moreshower shrugged. "I might need a written from you later though."
I nodded calmly and continued stripping the servo.
"I started fully understanding Cybertronian, either that or it was being translated," I said calmly, tapping my temple. "I can only describe it as a full information burst." I froze and snorted. "I read a nine hundred and sixty two page textbook in thirty-six point two seconds, went into a meltdown and completely offended my professor when I told him he was wrong," I shook my head tiredly and sighed, then jumped. "Oh god, and I wrote in Cybertronian symbology in front of a class of two hundred and thirty," I groaned. "Here's hoping the class bought the professor's remark that I was having a mental breakdown, I had to coach Sam into covering for me. At least I got my run kit."
"You're a bit young to have a run kit," Moreshower said with a frown.
I shot him a weak smile and removed a long stretch of metallic fibres, bagging them carefully before removing another plate.
"Anyway, this insanity started up full tilt when I touched the cube splinter," I looked up and took my necklace off, carefully removing the small metal canister from it's concealing blown glass decoration. I offered it to Optimus.
"That should be placed in Military hands," Moreshower commented idly.
"With all due respect, good luck with that," I told him with a sigh. I offered him the canister, "try to walk away from me with it."
He rose and took the offered container, walking toward the hanger doors.
Seven feet and his arm swung back, he frowned and tugged. I stifled a yelp at the painful wrench beneath my ribs. He tugged a couple of more times then grasped the container with both hands; yanking it away from me with all of his strength.
I felt myself propelled forward, off of the chair and toward the doors, landing heavily on my leg. I collapsed onto my side, clutching my chest and desperately trying not to cry out.
"Mikaela!" Optimus called out, Ratchet was at my side in an instant, silent as he carefully stretched me onto my back. Moreshower was beside us a moment later.
"I am so sorry," he said immediately, pressing the canister into my palm.
"'S'kay," I gasped, "I didn't know... it was going... to do that. Last time... I just walked across... my room and it followed... after me."
"Mikaela, stop covering your chest," Ratchet ordered me tersely, "I need a clear scan."
I un-crossed my arms for a second and couldn't stop the soft keen that tore from my throat. In a pained second I had my knuckles stuffed into my mouth, biting down hard against the searing burn pounding against my ribs.
"Where does it hurt?" Optimus' voice asked urgently, powerful arms wrapped tightly around me, pulling me into a sitting position.
"Prime this is impossible!" Ratchet finally exclaimed furiously. "She's human! There's no way her spark can be out of alignment!"
"Where do you keep the splinter?" Optimus' holoform asked softly, his face pressed against my hair, "Mikaela, where did you keep it?"
"Over... over my... heart," I whimpered, clinging to him. One hand gently stroked down my back, carefully taking the canister from my hand before moving up again.
"Major," the holoform's voice commanded quietly, "take the splinter and walk backwards, keeping the canister at this level until I tell you to stop."
I could hear slow, careful footsteps as Will hurried to obey.
"That's far enough," Optimus ordered in the same quiet tone. The footsteps ceased. "Hold onto me, Mikaela," the deep, soothing voice murmured in my hair, I struggled to obey as his hand gently wrapped around my wrist, drawing it over his shoulder. An arm never ceased to hold me tightly to his chest as the other hand was carefully drawn to hook around his neck.
"Will, stand up very slowly with me," Optimus said quietly, "keep the shard at the same level as her spark, right here," I could feel a finger lightly press against my back before the arms tightened and pulled me to my feet. We moved slowly, Optimus taking a careful step backward, I could feel the burning recede, as though it were moving back toward my heart again. As though it were moving back where it belonged.
"Holy crap, that's some serious force pulling on this," Will muttered.
"Hold tight," Optimus ordered quietly.
"A little further," Ratchet's voice added softly.
Something clicked deep within, the pain eased away, replaced instead by my muscles screaming at me. I felt battered, bruised.
"Ratchet?" Optimus murmured.
"It's aligned again," Ratchet said quietly, leaving a 'but' hanging delicately in the air.
"General, I think we should continue this at another time," Optimus stated quietly.
"You're right, I'm so sorry Miss Banes."
"My fault," I murmured, "next time that happens I'll do the walking."
"There will not be a next time," Optimus rumbled in a bizarrely harsh tone, "the shard will remain with you."
"Agreed," Moreshower stated, "as of now, I am unaware of any part of the cube's whereabouts. Major, Sargent, I don't think that needs to be an order?"
"No sir," Lennox replied automatically, the canister was pressed into my hand again. I weakly slipped it back into it's concealing glass.
"Call if you need anything," the General stated calmly.
"General?" I murmured, struggling to turn around to face him.
"Yes Miss Banes?"
"Mikaela," I said with a small smile, offering him my hand. His face softened as he shook it gently, firming his grip automatically to match my own strength.
"Chris," he said gently. "We'll speak again when you've healed."
"Thank you, General," I said softly. He turned smartly and walked out of the hangar.
"What should we do?" Epps asked with a frown.
"Mikaela will probably be better off with Ratchet and Optimus," Will looked the question to the Auto-bots, I felt Optimus nod and lift me effortlessly, taking care with my leg. "We'll go for a run then, gather everybody up Epps." he ordered with a grin.
"Yes sir," Epps shot him a smart salute and trotted off.
"Get some rest Mikaela," Will told me gently before walking away.
"Optimus?" I murmured.
"Mikaela?"
"Just Kaela, or Kae will do," I told him softly, I could have sworn he held me a bit tighter, "Could you set me back at my workbench?"
Optimus sighed and began walking, "Kae you've just suffered a massive internal trauma, you need to rest until it heals or it could slip again."
"Why did I know you were going to say that?" I groaned weakly.
"Because you're a brilliant, stubborn young woman. Come on, we'll go for a drive," he said gently, the holoform setting me in his hand.
He transformed around me, somehow managing to set me in the passenger seat with barely a jostled limb.
"Now that's cool," I laughed weakly as he revved up, pulling slowly out of the hangar.
Optimus just gave a low chuckle as he drove, I leaned against the window, watching the directions we took. He turned along the coast and rumbled around the deserted curves. I silently watched the scenery for a few minutes before my eyes drifted closed.
(OPOV)
Optimus noted the tiny femme's eyes finally drifting closed, cuddled into his seat and her face leaning trustingly against his door.
The dear femme.
He drove up to the cliffs and transformed carefully, cradling the tiny femme to his chest plates and watching the sun slowly make it's way toward the horizon. He sat, contentedly cradling her for a few hours until the sun reached the point where the light bent through the atmosphere, refracted through the oxidized hydrogen.
"Kae?" Optimus murmured gently. The sunset was beautiful tonight, he wanted her to see it. Her eyes opened and she squirmed in his hand slightly.
"How long was I out?" she asked drowsily, struggling to sit up in his hand.
"A few hours," Optimus murmured.
"Why'd you let me drop off?" she asked with a small pout.
"You are stuck with us," Optimus stated blandly, "You need your rest, I will take you out here any time you want."
"I'm sorry you're stuck with me," Mikaela said apologetically, "I'm not exactly-"
"There are far worse humans to be stuck with," Optimus chided her lightly then vented a sigh, "I wish there were another way to protect you than to isolate you from your friends and family-"
"You are my friends," Kae objected tiredly. "I'm sorry, Optimus, I should have come when you asked the first time around."
"You still came," Optimus murmured gently. He couldn't help but smile slightly, she considered him a friend.
"If I'd have come earlier it would have at least saved you having a grappling hook stuck in your shoulder," Kae griped quietly then winced.
"Still hurts?" he asked gently.
"The freezing's out of my leg, and the rest of me feels like I got stepped on by Ironhide." she groaned. "What am I forgetting?"
Optimus looked down at her.
"You were going to hold me to something," Mikaela groaned, rolling onto her back in his hand, "I feel like a bloody goldfish, maybe I should get Ratchet to examine my head while we're at it."
"You can explain how you knew Director Galloway's personality by a handshake later," Optimus chuckled.
"Right," she groaned, trying to sit up again, she gave up quickly, tucking a hand behind her head with a sigh.
"We cannot destroy you to rebuild Cybertron," Optimus rumbled calmly. Now was as good a time as any to inform her of it.
"You can and will," Mikaela replied just as calmly. "That's low, Optimus, trying to win an argument with a person who can barely sit up." she ran her free hand along his palm.
"Kae..." Optimus trailed off with a sigh.
"Optimus, I know you don't want to sacrifice another," she said gently, echoing his thoughts. "But it is your duty as a Prime to at least try. You came with the hope of retrieving the All-Spark to repair your home. Cybertron isn't lost, just sleeping."
"You wouldn't survive the journey." Optimus rumbled sadly, looking down at her.
"I wouldn't have to," Mikaela sighed. "Neither do I expect to. 'The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one.'"
Optimus sighed, remembering his own mentor saying just the same thing. He cradled the femme close to his chest plates.
"What do I say?" he rumbled softly.
"Leadership sucks," Mikaela murmured, looking up into his optics. "Everyone looks up to you for the right words, the right answers."
One of the worst parts of being Prime. Especially when he didn't know the words...
Kae smiled up at him, then, "but you also have an amazing group of people around you. In the moments you can't find the words in yourself, you'll find it in them. Being a leader, doesn't always mean you need the words. If I die here, or die out among the stars it doesn't matter. I am one among billions, but at least my death would have meaning."
Optimus looked down at the tiny, brave femme with a deep sadness in his spark. Kae reached her hand out and stroked his palm gently.
"Hush the waves are rolling in, white with foam, white with foam, father toils amid the storm, and the baby sleeps at home." she sang softly as Optimus cradled her gently, watching the sun as it sank below the horizon. "Hush the winds roar wild and deep, how they moan how they moan, brother feeds the wandering sheep, and the baby sleeps at home. Hush the winds sweep o'er the knows, where they roam, where they roam, sister goes to seek the cows, and the baby sleeps at home."
Somehow, he felt stronger now. And somehow, he knew that that was what she'd intended. Kae looked like she was about to fall asleep again, but she was fighting it off.
"Sleep little one," Optimus murmured softly, transforming around her and laying the tiny femme gently in the bunk.
Kae closed her eyes obediently and curled up on the bunk, falling asleep to the gentle roar of his engine.
And somehow, with her so close to his spark.
That made him feel better, too.